Steam irons



J. E. VANCE STEAM IRONS Nov. 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 24, 1952 INVENTOH. John E Vance ATT HNEY.

J. E. VANCE STEAM IRONS Nov. 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1952 amn@ mm Y HIJ w/ w mw am INVENTOR. John E. Vance ORNEY.

United States Patent' O STEAM IRONS Application December 24, 1952, Serial No. 327,745 12 Claims. (Cl. 38-77) The present invention relates to steam irons and more particularly to a unique and less expensive mode of constructing the same. i

Steam iron sole plates as heretofore designed are exceedingly complex and costly. Moreover, they present difcult `manufacturing problems due to the labyrinth of steam passages required `and the problem of locating these passages in close and eicient heating relation to the heating element. i

The present invention provides a very simple sole plate having a tiash type steam generating chamber discharging into steam distributing channels or passages designed and arranged to be closed by a rod type electric heating element. This element is preferably bent into a U-shape and inserted into a specially formed channel and held assembled therein by swaging the overlying lip of the channel downwardly against the exterior of the rod so as to form a steam passage to one side of and in direct heat exchange relationship with the heating element.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a new, improved and simplified steam iron of low cost and high operating efficiency which can be used for either dry or steam ironing as the user elects.

Another object is the provision of a steam iron having a cast sole plate provided with steam super-heating pas` sages arranged to be closed by a rod type electric heating element.

A further object is the provision of a sole plate for a steam iron having a U-shaped steam passage which is closed by a U-shaped rod-like heating element held in place by swaging one lip of the passage thereover.

Yet another object is the provision of a steam iron sole plate incorporating steam passages which can be cleaned readily by unskilled persons and without special equipment or tools.

`Various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed specilication of an illustrative embodiment of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side view of a steam the invention with the forward show constructional details;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the sole plate subassembly; while Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 3-3 on Figure 2.

The principal components of the combination steam and dry iron forming the subject matter of the present invention include a cast aluminum sole plate 10, a water reservoir 11, a cover shell 12, an operating handle 13, and a thermostatic temperature regulator 14 having a control dial 15. The toe end and lateral sides of the sole plate are relatively thick in comparison to the thin walled central portion 16 of the plate. A circular cupshaped depression 17 at the thickened toe end of the sole plate forms a flash type steam generating chamber having iron incorporating portion broken away to an outlet port v18 at its upper forward end. This port ice opens into a generally U-shaped channel 19 the bight portion of which closely embraces the upper forward and side rims 20 of the generating chamber. The leg portions 22 of channel 19 extend along the inner vertical faces of the thickened sides of the sole plate and their forward ends open into vertical ports 21 in communication with the opposite ends of the bight portion of channel `19. The inner sides of channels 22 are closed by a U-shaped rod type electric heating element generally designated 24. The outer upper and lower sides of this element seat against rounded shoulders 25 and 26 extending lengthwise of the channels along the lower and upper side walls thereof as best shown in Figure 3. The upper wall of the passages includes a thin walled lip 27 which lies iiush with the top surface of the thickened portion of the sole plate as the plate is first cast. After the heating element hasbeen inserted in the channels so as to seat firmly against shoulders 25 and 26, lipf27 is swaged downwardly about the sides of the heating element to lock it in assembled position to form a closure for the open inner sides of channels 22 to form a steam passage to one side of the heating element in direct heat exchange relationship therewith. i

The rear ends of shoulders 25 and 26 merge with the back wall 23 and the outwardly olset ends 28 `of the heating element cooperate therewith to close the rear ends of channels 22, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The widened rear ends of the channelsopen through the heel end of the sole plate so that the heating element can be assembled thereinto. It will therefore be self-evident that the pre-formed heating element 24 can be slidforwardly across the rear end of the sole plate until the sides of the element are lirmly seated against shoulders 25 and 26 of the channels. As the heating element is held firmly seated against these shoulders, the thin walled lip 27 overlying the element is swaged downwardly under high pressure to lock the heating element in assembled position. The tight joint formed in `this manner between the walls of the heating element and `shoulders 25 and 26 provides an excellent heat conducting path between the sole plate and the heating element as well as a seal against the escape of steam from the passages 22. Note that the bight end of the heating element abuts the concave rear side of the steam generating chamber for the purpose of` conducting heat directly to this chamber.

A series of steam discharge ports 29 extend down- Wardly `from the lower sides ofthe steam passages 22 and open into shallow grooves 30 extending across the surface of the sole plate so as to distribute the steam through the material being ironed.

The water reservoir 11 overlies the sole plate and is concealed within cover shell 12. A semi-spherical tting 31 secured to an opening in the bottom of the tank near its forward end seats in a correspondingly shaped portion of a non-heat-conducting stainless steel washer 32. This washer is staked at 33 across a large diameter opening 34 formed in a triangular shape cover plate `35:' forming a closure for the steam generating chamber 17, port 18 and the underlying portions of the steam distributing passage 19. This cover may be secured tothe sole plate by screws 36.

A metered orice 37 extending vertically through iitting 31 allows water to flow drop by drop from the reservoir into generating chamber 17 so long as valve 38 is in the open position illustrated in Figure 1. This valve is formed on the lower end of a stem 39 which projects vertically through the top of a water iller tube generally designated 40. The iiller tube is secured to an opening in the top of the reservoir and is housed within the hollow front leg of operatinghandle 13. A valve control button 41 projecting through an opening 42 at the top of the handle leg is operatively connected by a pin and slot ioint to stem 39 and functions to raise and lower the valve between its open and .closed position as the control is rocked forwardly vand rearwardly about a pivot 41. A bracket 43 secured to the top `of the filler tube pivotably supports control button 41 and the latter is biased vto the closed position lof the valve 'by a spring 44. When the controlfis positioned as shown in Figure l, the spring is ineffective toY close the valve; however, when control 41 is rocked forwardly, the spring snaps the valve closed.

An L-shaped water passageway 45 extending through the filler tube has an inlet end 46 opening along the forward face of the operating handle and an outlet 47 opening into the reservoir so that the latter may be replenished from time to time. I

The thermostatic regulator `14 for maintaining the sole plate temperature at any desired'value is of conventional design and need-not be described in detail. This control is secured to a bed plate 4S the lower side of which lies ush against the flat central portion of the sole plate. vThe l ends of a pair of arms 49, 49 projecting laterally from the .forward end of this bed plate underlie a second pair of arms 50 integral with and projecting inwardly from the thickened sides of .the sole plate and are held assembled thereto by a pair of stud bolts 51. Therear end S2 of bed plate 48 is anchored to the heel of -thefsole plate by a pair of screws 53. These screws also serve to secure an insulating mounting 54 for terminal strips 55 and 56 to the bed plate. The outer ends of the terminal strips are connected to the service cord terminals 57 while 'the inner end of strip 56 -is connected directly to the upturned end 58 of electric'heating kelement 24. The inner end of terminal strip 55 is connected to one terminal of thermostatic Iregulator .14 while the other regulator terminal is connected to the upturned end 59 of the heater element by means of an electrical conductor strip 60.

vThe assembly of the major components of the iron is carried out in the following manner. Cover shell l12 is secured to the front and rear legs of operating handle 13 as by screws 61 extending upwardly into the handle legs. Water reservoir 11 together with the filler tube and Water valve is placed. on the sole plate so that `the rear end rests on supports, not shown, and with fitting 31 seated in washer 32. The assembled cover shell and handle may now be telescoped downwardly over the reservoir onto the Vsole plate and secured tightly in place thereagainst by a single assembly bolt 62 which threads into a stud 63 mounted in the forward end of bed plate 45. The assembly is completed by .pressing the temperature control dial in place over the non-circular upper end of the rotatable stem 64 of the thermostatic regulator.

, It will be self-evident from the foregoing that the sole plate proper maybe cast either in sand or in a die. Neither mode of casting lpresents any particular difficulty since all cavities open either through the upper surface of the plate or inwardly toward the center thereof. Thus, cavities `17, 18, 19 and 21 open upwardly through the upper surface while channels 22 kopen inwardly toward each other along the perimeter .of vthe thin walled portion of the sole plate. Certain surface finishing operations lare desired with either mode of casting. These surfaces include the .top and bottom surfaces of the sole plate, the peripheral rim surface and preferably, the surfaces against which the heating element seats.

Assuming that the iron has been assembled land that there is water in reservoir 11, the iron operates in the following manner. If valve 38 is open, water flows through metered orifice 37 drop by drop into the steam generating chamber 17. Since this chamber is located in the thick toe end of thelsole plate and in intimate heat exchange relation with the nexus of heating element 24, the drops of water are converted into steam instantaneously. This steam escapes into the Lbshaped steam passage 19 through port-18 and -flows -rearwardly about rim of the generator, downwardly through ports 21 and rearwardly along the pair of distributing passages 22 along and in direct contact with the exterior sides of heat-v ing element 24. Hence, it will be clear thatpassages 22 not only serve to distribute the steam to exit ports 29 but to bring the steam into direct contact with the wall of heating element 24 to super-heat the steam quickly and in a most etcient manner prior to its discharge through ports 29. Grooves 30 in the lower surface of the plate distribute the steam substantially throughout the lower surface of the plate in a manner made clear by Figure 2.

If the operator wishes to dispense with the use of steam, she merely rocks control button 41 forwardly about pivot 41' to depress stem 39 and close valve 38 against the upper end .of orifice 37. Spring 44 holds the valve closed so long as control 41 is rocked forwardly.

Should lime deposits collect in the generating chamber or in the steam distributing passages, the iron may bek disassembled for `cleaning in Aa very simple and expeditious manner. The removal-of thermostat dial 15 exposes the single assembly bolt 62 so that it may be removed permitting the handle, cover shell and reservoir to be lifted from the sole plate. The removal of screws 36 releases cover -plate 3S and exposes the generating chamber, distributing channelf19 and ports 21. `It is .then a simple matter to remove the lime deposits from these chambers and to extend probes downwardly through .ports 21 and rearwardly along channels 22 to dislodge any `deposits therein which .are readily removed through ports 29 and 21 by shaking the sole plate. Following this simple cleaning operation, the iron is reassembled.

.rom the foregoing, it will be appreciated that this invention provides an unusually simple combination dry and steam iron of high .operating eiciency. Due to the direct contact of the steam with the heating element, l have found that it is unnecessary to provide the long and tortuous steam passages heretofore considered essential. My construction makes it possible to shift from dry to steam ironing almost instantaneously. Moreover, the simplicity of the structure Aas a whole and the `ease with which deposits and foreign matter may be removed represent important savings in both constructional and servicing costs.v

Obviously, the foregoing Aand other advantages may be obtained by resort to various modifications. For example, thc heating element need not Lbe U-.shapedor made in one piece, and the steam distributing passages may open through the top surface of the sole plate or outwardly from the exterior perimeter of the thickened rim of the sole plate. These .are but illustrative .of the many changes which will suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and recognized .as falling within `the scope and principles of my invention.

While I have shown and described but one embodiment of my invention, it is .to be understood that this embodiment Ais to .be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I do not wish to he limited to the particular structure shown and described but to include all equivalent variations except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

l. A steam iron .comprising a sole plate, a vcover shell therefor, a water reservoir within said shell and an .operating handle secured together in assembled relation, said sole plate having a steam generating chamber therein in communication with said reservoir, steam distributing passages formed in said sole plate `and extending from said chamber along the opposite sides of said sole plate, said passages having a lateral opening, a rod-like electric heating element extending lengthwise of said passages within said lateral Vopening and cooperating with the walls of said passage to form a steam tight closure for said passages to one side-of said heating element, and steam discharge ports distributed along said passages and opening downwardly through the bottom of said sole `ing of said passage, a rod plate whereby steam generated in said generating chamber passes in direct heat exchange relation to said heating element as it passes therealong to said discharge ports.

2. A steam iron sole plate having a toe and a heel at the opposite endsthereof, steam distributing passages formed in said sole plate, extending lengthwise thereof and opening along their length through an upper surface of the sole plate, a rod type electric heating element closing said opening and having a diameter corresponding to the width of the open side of said passages and forming a closure for the open side of the channels and cooperating with the walls of said passages to provide steam distributing and super-heating ducts in direct heat exchange with said heating element, `means for holding said heat element in place in said passages, and steam discharge ports distributed along said passages and opening downwardly through the bottom surface of the sole plate.

3. A steam iron sole plate having a thickened portion with a U-shaped peripheral ridge, a channel formed in the wall of said peripheral ridge and extending along said wall, a U-shaped rod type electric heating element tted into said channel in steam tight engagement with the opposed side walls thereof and spaced from the back wall of said channel to form a steam passage and forming a closure for the open side of said passage and in direct heat exchangerelation with steam flowing therethrough, means for holding said heating element in place in said channel, means for conducting steam to said pas sage, and steam discharge ports leading from said pas sage to the lower surface of said sole plate.

4. A steam iron sole plate as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for holding said heating element in place in said channel comprises a flange integral with said sole plate and projecting beyond the exterior side of said element from the top side wall of said channel, said flange being swaged downward about the exterior of said heating element to lock the same assembled across the open side of said channel.

5. A steam iron sole plate as defined in claim 3 wherein said thickened portion of said sole plate extends along and closely adjacent the opposite sides of said sole plate and wherein said channel is located along the interior vertical peripheral edge of said thickened portion so that the open side of the channel faces the central portion of the sole plate.

6. A steam iron sole plate as defined in claim 5 characterized in that the forward toe end of said `sole plate has a steam generating chamber opening upwardly through the upper surface of said sole plate, and means including a cover plate for said generating chamber for conducting steam therefrom to said steam passage.

7. A steam iron sole plate having a toe and a heel at the opposite ends thereof, the central portion of said plate including the heel end thereof being thin and iiat, the opposite sides and toe of said sole plate being relatively thick and formed with a steam distributing passage opening laterally toward the central portion of said plate, one side wall of said passage having a rounded shoulder extending therealong adjacent the lateral opentype electric heating element shaped to t snugly within the lateral opening of said passage and against said shoulder to form a steamtight duct behind the lateral opening of said passage, and means for holding said element in place in said channel.

8. A steam iron sole plate as defined in claim 7 wherein said heating element comprises a unitary U-shaped member which is insertable into said passage by moving the bight portion thereof across the central portion of the sole plate from the heel end thereof until the element is firmly seated against the shoulder extending along the interior side wall of said passage.

formed in the top 9. A steam iron sole plate having a thickened portion along the opposite upper sides thereof meeting at the forward toe end of the plate, a steam generating cavity formed in the upper surface at the toe end of the sole plate, a generally U-shaped steam distributing the channel formed in said soleplate having its bight portion embracing the upper forward and side rims of said steam generating cavity and having the leg portions thereof opening inwardly toward the central portion of the soleplate from the inner upright sides of the thickened rim portions thereof, the legs of said steam channel being wider along the open side than along the back wall thereof, a rod type electric heating element extending along the open side of said channel legs between the side walls thereof and in steam tight and good heat conducting relation thereto to form a closure for said channel legs which closure is spaced from the back wall of said channel legs, the side wall of said channel overlying said heating element being swaged downwardly thereabout to lock said heater in place in the channel, means for conducting steam from said generating cavity to said distributing channel, and steam ports extending between said channel legs and the bottom of said soleplate.

10. A steam iron soleplate as delined in claim 9 wherein said electric heating element is U-shaped, the leg portions of said element lying within and forming a closure for the open sides of the legs of said steam channel and the bight portion of said element lying in close heat exchange relation with said steam generating cavity, and a removable closure for the top of said cavity and the portions of said steam channel embracing the rim thereof.

1l. A steam iron comprising a sole plate, a cover shell and operating handle overlying and `secured to said soleplate, a water reservoir supported on said iron, said soleplate being formed with a steam generating chamber in the forward toe end thereof, means for conducting water from said reservoir to said generating chamber, said soleplate being formed with open sided steam distributing and superheating channels extending along the opposite sides thereof and opening into said steam generating chamber, the open side of said channels being formed to receive and seat a rod type electric heating element in spaced relation to the back Wall of said channels, a rod type heating element seated in the open side of said channels and forming a steam tight closure therefor, at least one side rim of said channels being swaged about the exterior of said heating element to hold the same assembled to said soleplate, a removable cover plate for said steam generating chamber, and steam discharge ports extending downwardly from said channels through the lower surface of the soleplate.

12. In a steam iron, a soleplate, a steam generating chamber formed in said soleplate, steam distributing passages communicating with said chamber and extending along the sides of said soleplate, said passages being of said soleplate, a rod like heating element mounted on said soleplate, said heating element being so mounted as to form one wall of said passages and steam emission openings in communication with said distributing passages and opening through bottom surface of said soleplate.

References Cited inthe iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,053,405 Myers Sept. 8, 1936 2,353,604 Waring et al. July 11, 1944 2,389,587 Appleman Nov. 27, 1945 2,499,184 Finlayson Feb. 28, 1950 2,499,185 Finlayson Feb. 28, 1950 2,636,106 Sparklin et. al. Apr. 2l, 1953 

